Gear-shift mechanism



D. G. LILLEY GEAR SHIFT MECHANI SM ori inal Filed July 8, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Elm uon for fiamiel [1311831.

D. G. LILLEY Au 19, 1930. GEAR SHIP? MECHANISM Re. l7,773

Original FileEi July 8, 192'? 5 SheetsSheet 2 Juncuiot D. G. LILLEY' GEAR SHIFT MECHANISM Aug. 19, 1930.

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Qrig inal Filed July 8, 1927 a w m m m 7 r w 8 W 2 w o .00 w 3 M 8 My v Z I 0 7 7 8 J 2 My Z 9 8 m 8 0 m W m 0 5 0 0 7 v l 312:. ua 4/ 6 1 w a n 4 2 WW a 9 fl m Ream! Aug. 19, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT ornca DANIEL G. LILLEY, OF. DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOB '10 BENDIX AVIATION CORPO- RATION, A GOBPOBATIQK OF DELAWARE GEAR-SHIFT MECHANICS! "original lilo. 1,712,708, dated lay 14, 1929; Serial No. 204,366,111ed July 8, 1927. Application for reissue filed December 30, 1929.

' This invention relates to improvements in gear shift mechanism for adjusting a rotattil : duoe a pro larity or pitch of aeroplane propellers while they are revolving. V

' It has long been recognized that advantageous results will be obtained if the propellers are so constructed that-their", pitch or angularity can be varied during flight. This will have an eflect somewhat analogous to the changing of the gear ratios of an automobile. When the plane is starting and during the climbing period the propellers should be adjusted at such an angIe that they will exert the greatest possible tractive power but. after the plane has reached the elevation desired, the pitch of the propeller blades should beincreased so as to obtain the 'greatest speed. When the propellers have a fixed pitch, it is evident that the tractive efiort can only be increased by varying the speed of the engine.

Such -an arrangement is comparable to an automobile without means for changing the gear ratio between the engine and the drive wheels. 1

It is the object of this invention""to -.pro-

peller in which the blades-can be rotated about their axes while in motion so asto vary thepitch.

It is a further, bject'to provide a mechanism for rotating the blades which move them through only a small angle at one time so as to prevent excessive rotation.

A still further object ofthis invention is to produce a construction of propeller that will give great strength and rigidity to the blades.

The above, and other objects, that may bec'ome apparent as the description proceeds are attained by means of'a construction and arrangement ofrwparts that will now be described in detail, reference for this purpose being had to the accompanying drawings in which theprc fol-red embodiment of my invention has been illustrated and in which:

i Fig. 1 is an end view" of atw'o-blade propeller, portions having been shown broken away and other portions in section;

Fig. 2 is a section-taken on line 2 -2, Fig. 1;

Serial No. 417,576.

Fig. 4 is a section similar to that shown in Fig. 3 but showing a. diflerent form of blade construction; 1

Fig. 5 is an elevation, partly in section tak enonline55,Fig.1;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 66, Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is asection taken on line 7-7, Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is an end elevation of a propeller having four blades;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to that in Fig. 1 anal shows a modified form of construction; an

Fig. 10 is a view showing how the device may be altered so as to obtain an arrangement in which the driving gear rotates about its own axis and in which the driven gears do not rotate about the axis of the driving ear.

' In the drawings numeral 12 designates the crank shaft of the driving motor and for the purpose of this description, this shaft ma be considered broadly as a drive shaft an is journalled vin the bearing 13. This hearing has a forwardly extending cylindrical hub 14 which is provided with two or more keyways or ,slots for the reception of keys 15. A friction gear wheel 16 has a hub 17 provided with a bore of the proper diameter to lit the outside of the hub 14 and is held against'rotation by means of the keys 15 so that. it will slide but not rotateon the hub 14. This gear can be moved alongthe vhiib 14 by means of a lever 18 which is pivoted at 19. Aconnecting rod 20' is pivoted'to the lever 18 at 21 and has its other end pivoted at 22 to the end of a bar 23 which passes the forward movement of the gear 16, the" rearward movement of which is determined "journal 36. The shaft 36 by the engagement of the end of hub 17 with the forward side of part 13. a

It will be observed that the gear 16 has two circular conical surfaces 29 and 30. The pro peller is secured to the front end of the shaft .12 and is held in place by anut 31. The propeller consists of a hub 32 which is held against rotation with respect to the shaft 12 by some suitable means such as splines 33. The hub has two diametrically positioned cylindrical rojections 34 which have aligned axial openings 35 for the reception of the ends of the hollow steel shafts 36. These shafts form the journals for the propellers which, when made of wood (Fig. 1)

have a longitudinal axial opening in which is located the steel tube 37 whose inside diameter is such that it forms a bearing for the has several openings 38 whose function will hereinafter appear. The inner ends of the propeller blades into which the outer end ofthe bearing are provided with end caps 39 which have hollow cylindrical hubs 40 that receive the hub portions 34 OILWlllCll they are rotatable. The outer .ends of the blades have caps 41 having an inwardly extending hollow hub 4? and the shaft 36 extends. The shaft 36 has is outer end threaded for the reception of the nut 43 Whose inner end engages the washer 44 and serves to hold the blade in place; A plug 45 closes the opening in the hub 42. The Y interior of the hollow shaft 36 is filled with grease which can be forced through the holes 38 by means of the plug 46.

The ends of the cylindrical hubs 40 are .provided with teeth 47 which are engaged by the worms 48 (Figs. 5 and 6). These worms, of Which there is one for each propeller blade, are journalled in bearings 49 and 50, and are interconnected by means of gears 51 so as to" be rotated in unison. In the example shown the worms are both right hand but rotate in opposite directions so that when they are caused to rotate they will turn the propeller blades to increaseor decrease the angular pitch. T he worms 48 have an axial opening 52 which, in the example shown, has two diametrically located grooves 53. Se cured to the hub 32, is a bracket 54 which has two threaded openings 55; these openings are in axial alignment with the openings 52 in the worms. A rod or shaft 56 has a threaded portion which co-operates with'the threads in each opening 55 and extends into the opening 52 in the worm. The end tate relative to it. It will be observedthat one of the rods has a right hand thread and the other a left hand thread. Secured to the rear end of'the rod 56 which has the right hand thread is a bevel friction' gear 58 whose beveled face is adapted to coact with the within opening 52-has radial projections 57 which engage shaft 56 may move it rotates in the direction of the arrows 60- '(Fig. 7). a

Let us now assume that shaft 12, to which the hub 32 and the propeller blades'are con-' nected, rotates in the direction of-the arrows in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 if the handle l8-is moved forwardly (to the leftin Fig. 5), the gear 16 will be moved toward the gear wheel 58. When the surface 29 comesinto contact'with the beveled surfaceof gear 58, the friction will cause the latter to rotate in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 7). The rotation of wheel 58 will cause both of the worms to rotate and these, in turn, will rotate the propeller blades about the hollow shaft 36. It is evident that unless some special means were provided to prevent it, that the propeller blades would be rotated through too great an angle as it would be impossible for the operator to determine justwhen to disconnect thegears. I have, therefore, mounted the gears 58 and 59 on shafts 56 that have a threaded connection with their bearings. lVhen the wheel58 is rotated by being brought into contact with the wheel 16, the shafts 56, to which the gears 58 and 59 are connected, will move forwardly (to the left in Fig. 5) and this will separate the friction surfaces on the wheels 58 and 16. It is therefore possible to rotate the blades through a small angle only at each setting of the lever 18 and each setting of lever 18 will therefore correspond to a certain pitch of the propeller blades. When the lever 18 is moved towards the right, the gear 16 will come into contact with the beveled surface of the gear 59, the blades Willbe rotated in the opposite direction. The left hand thread on the shaft to which the gear 59 is connected will cause the contact between gear 59 and.

It may bepossible to apply a constant forceto the handle 18 so as to cause the gear16' to follow the gears 58 and 59 and'thereby make the maximum angular adjustment at The limit .of the ad ustment in either direction is determined by the extent of the movement of gear 16 on hub 14 and as one time.

positive stops are provided to limit this movement in both directions, the angularity of the propellers can only be adjusted between certain well defined limits. The position of the handle 18 determines the pitch of the propellers and the notches 27 in the quadrant can therefore be calibrated so that the open ator can set theblades to an angle desired.

In Fi s. 3 and 4, I have s own cross sections two difierentblade constructions,

the one shown in Fig. 3 being of a solid construction and adapted for wooden blades,

while the one shown in Fig. 4 is better suited for-a metal construction. 7

In Fig. 9 I have shownhow. the worms flmay be located on' diametrically opposite sides of the shaft 12 so as to obtain a balanced I efiect. I

- In Fig. 8,'I have shown how the invention is applied to a propeller having four blades.

. e worms and "ears may, of course, be enclosed in a suitahle'sheet metal housing which has not been shown, but which. has been indicated by dotted'lines in Fig. 9.

t In Figure I have shown a modification in which the shaft 75is the power shaft and 1 is rotated by some means not shown.- This shaft has been showii as journalleddn bearings 7e and 77; Collars 78 hold theshaft I that is provided'with an annular groove 82 right hand. Each shaft has secured to it a" within whichis a'roller 83 that is secured to the'lower end 84 of the handle 85. This handle is pivoted at 86 and is provided with a on the quadrant 89. B means-of the lever 85 the drive gear can movedlongitudt nally on shaft and latched. Rotatably mounted in spaced bearings 90 and 91 are shafts 92 and 93. These shafts are provided with a threaded portion 94 which is on by a threaded bearing 95. The threa on shaft 92 are left hand and those on 93 are spur gear 96 and a friction gear 97. The friction gear on shaft 92 is so located that it will engage the surface 81, while the corresponding gear on shaft 93 may engage surface 80. The threads at 9-4 are-preferably of the same pitch and are 96 of the same pitch diameter so that w enever shafts 92 and 93 are rotated they will move longitudinally at the same rate and therefore the distance between the wheels 97 will always remain the same. Gears 97 are so located that only one of them can come into contact with the sur-' faces or 81 at the same time, and arealso spaced apart so far that wheel 79 can'rotate freel i It isnow evident that if shaft 75 is-rotated in the direction of the arrow and handle moved so as to bring the surface 80 into contact with the corresponding surface on wheel- 97 which will therefore rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow and as this rotation moves wheel 97 out of contact with the drive wheel only'a very movement of shafts 92 and 93 can thereforehe efiected for rotation in bearings 101 and is provided.

with'a noncircular opening 102 which is enby the corresponding noncircular end 103 of shaft 93 WlllCh is therefore slidably but nonrotatably connected with the worm. The wheel 98 may control a gun or any other mechanism. Secured to the end of the worm,

is a-noncircular wheel 10 which is acted upon by :a spring pawl 105 that serves to latch the worm against any accidental rotation. r

From the above it will be apparent that I have produced a device by means of which the angularity of propeller blades may read ily be altered while the propellers are in motion and which makes it ossible to rotate tained and to determine by sir'ed pitch is 0 just what angularposition the control lever the blades have. pawl87 that co-operates with the notches 88 It is evident that the mechanism employed is suitable forany place where the position of a movable member is to be-altcred while in motion as well as where it is desirable to move any movable member in such a manner that all danger of moving it any excessive dis- -tance is obviated and as another example attention is called to a regulating device for a water wheel or similar machine.

' While several illustrative embodiments have been described in detail, it is not my in: tention to limit the scope of the invention to those particular embodiments, or otherwise than by the terms'of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1 1. In a device of the class described, in combinatioma friction gear wheel having a friction surface on each of its sides,'a friction gear wheel located on each side of the first mentioned wheel, said lastnamed wheels being normally out of engagement with the vfriction surfaces on the first mentioned wheel,

the first mentioned wheel and the other two wheels relatively movable, means for moving the first mentioned wheel into contact with either one of the other two whereby they will be rotated and means for automatimoving the friction gears out of operative engagement after'the second mentioned wheels have rotated a pnedeterminedamount.

2. A device of the class described, comprising in combination, three power trans- 'mission gear wheels one of which has a-friction surface on each side, the other two gear them a few degrees at a tune until the dewheels comprising a pair, bein located one on each side of the gear having't e two power transmission surfaces, means' for interconnecting the gears of the pair so that they rotate in unison, means for simultaneously causing the two wheels comprising the pair to move along their. axes of rotation when they .rotate and means for moving the gear wheel having the two surfaces into engagement with either one of the wheels of the pair whereby they will be rotated about and moved along their axes ofrotation.

3. A device of the class described-compris ing, in combination, a gearwheel having a power transmission surface on each of its sides, a pair of gears each provided with a power transmission surface adapted to cooperate with one of the corresponding surfaces onthe first mentioned wheel, said last mentioned wheels being mounted for rotation about spaced parallelaxes, means for interand means for producing relative rotation between the first named gear and the other two whereby the two interconnected gears will be caused to rotate about their axes and moved tion.

4. A device of the class described, comprising, in combination, twoparallel spaced longitudinally of their axes of rotashafts, means for positively interconnecting one of the other gears and means for moving the shafts so thatthey will rotate simultaneously in oppositedirections, bearin for said shafts, said shaftseach having a t read-r ed portion, a threaded member operatively' associated with each threaded portion, a gear. wheel on each shaft, each of said gears hav-' ing a power transmission surface, a drive gear located between the other two gears, said drive gear having two ower transmission surfaces, each of wlnch s adapted toco-opcrate with the power transmission surface on the drive gear mto o rativeengagement with either one of the ot er two gears. I

5. In a device of the class described, in combination a bearing, a shaft ,rotatably mounted in s 'd bearing, a member carried by the shaft antbadapted-to be. moved rela- 6. A device of the tive thereto,-m'eans= for moving said member .With respect to the shaft while both revolve about the axis of the shaft and means including longitudinally movable membersforautomatically rendering said moving means inoperative after "it has effected a predetermined amount of movement of said member.

class described comprising, in combination, a bearing, a shaft mounted for rotation therein, a member secured to the shaft so as to revolve with the shaft, an axle extending radially of the shaft and perpendicularly to the axis of the shaft,

for varying the pitch of a revolving member which is rotatable on an axle comprising, a

worm, gears for rotating the worm, manually operated means for moving the gear members into operative position and automatic means including longitudinally movable members for moving the gear members into inoperative position as the revolving member is rotated.

8. In a variable gear mechanism having a bearing,a shaft rotatable in said bearing, a

hub secured to one end of said shaft, a journal extending radially from said hub and ajmember rotatably mounted on said j ournal,.means or rotating the member on its journal while it is revolving about the axis of the shaft, said means comprising .a worm gear connected with the-member and concentric with the axis of the journal about which the member rotates, a worm cooperating with said worm gear, a gear wheel nonrotatably secured tov said bearing, means for moving said gear wheel longitudinally of said bearing, a gear wheel nonrotatably secured to said worm, said second named wheel being so positioned that it. will be engaged by the first-mentioned gear wheel when the latter is moved longitudinally on the bearing whereby it will be rotated by the latter and means for moving said second named gear 'wheel awa from the gear wheel on the'bearing when it is rotated by the latter whereby the operative connection between the two is broken.

9. Ina variable gear mechanism having a bearing, a shaft rotatable in said bearing, a hub secured to one end of said shaft, journals extending radially from said hub and members rotatably mounted. on said journals, means for rotating the members on their journals while they are revolving about the axis of the shaft, said'means comprising a worm gear attached to each member and concentric with the axis of the. journal about which the members rotate, a :worm co-operating with each of said worm gears, a friction gear wheel.

nonrotatablysecured to said bearing, means for moving said gear wheel longitudinally of said bearing, a shaft slidably but nonrotatably secured to each worm, a stationary bearing for each of said shafts, said shafts having a threaded-'connectionwith its bearing whereby i it may move longitudinally of itsaxis as it is rotated, a friction wheel secured to each of said shafts, said wheels being located on opposite sides of the nonrotatable gear wheel so that they will be moved into operative engagement with said friction gear wheel when the latter is moved longitudinally and means for moving the friction gear wheel into operative relation with respect to either of said friction wheels. I

10. A gear shift mechanism comprising, in combination, a bearing, a shaft rotatable in said bearing, a hub secured to one end of said shaft, a journal extending radially from said' hub, a member rotatably mounted on said journal, means for rotating the member on its journal while it is revolving about the axis of the shaft, and means including lon itudinally movable members for automatically rendering said rotating means inoperative.

11. Mechanism of the character described comprising a rotatable shaft, a plurality of propeller blades carried by said shaft and rotatable therewith, and means for varying the pitch of said blades during rotation thereof, said means including friction wheels one for each blade mounted eccentrically with respect to said shaft and rotatable therewith, a nonrotatable friction member arranged con-. centrically of said shaft and normally disengaged from said wheels and means for moving said nonrotatable friction member intofrictional engagement with said wheels to cause relative rotation of said blades with respect to said shaft. 7

12. In an acre olane propeller, a rotatable shaft having a hu drivably attached thereto, a plurality of blades carried by said hub and rotatably mounted therein with respect thereto, a plurality of spirally threaded shafts, one for each blade and co-operating therewith, said shafts being drivably connected to ther, a friction wheel disposed eccentrica 1y of said rotatable shaft and drivably connected with each screw shaft and means com prising a lon itudinally movable member for exerting a fiictional drag on one of said wheels to cause relative rotation between said shafts and hub to thereby change the pitch of said blades.

13. In an aeroplane propeller, a rotatable shafthaving a hub drivably connected therewith, a plurality of blades carried by said hub,

' and means for augularly adjusting said blades 55 with respect to said hub during rotation of the latter, said means including a threaded member co-operating with each blade and carried by thehub, means drivably connecting said threaded members together,'a friction wheel drivably connected to each threaded member and arranged eccentrically of said shaft and means arranged concentrically, of

said shaft. for frictionally engaging 'said wheels to cause angular adjustment of said blades with respect to said hub.

14. In combination, a rotatable shaft, W hub drivably connected to said shaft, a propeller including a plurality of blades carried y said hub and rotatable therewith, anannular gear carried by each blade, a pluralit of threaded shafts rotatable with said hu and operatively associated'with each gear, a friction wheel arranged eccentrically with respect to said shaft and drivably connected to each of said threaded shafts, and means for frictionally engaging said wheels to cause relative rotation-between said blades and hub during rotation thereof to thereby change the pitch of said blades.

15. In a device of the'character described, in combination, a bearing, a shaft rotatable therein, a hub drivably connected to said shaft, a plurality of propeller blades carried by said hub, and means for angularly adjusting said blades during rotation thereof, said means including interconnected gear members arranged eccentrically of said hub and carried thereby, and relatively stationary means concentrically disposed with respect to said hub and selectively movable into engagement with either of said members whereby to effect relative mov'ement between said hub and members.

16. In apparatus of the class described, a

rotatable shaft, a hub drivably secured to said shaft, blades carried by said hub for friction means being rotatable with said shaft.

17. In apparatus ofthe class described, a

rotatable shaft, a member drivably connected to the shaft and rotatable therewith, means for mounting said member on the shaft, said mounting means permitting angular adjustment of the member about an axis disposed substantially at right angles to the axis of' rotation of the shaft, and means for adjusting said member relative to said axis, said last named means including a, normally stationary friction member having a pair of friction surfaces, a pair of rotatable friction elements adaptedto engage said normally stationary friction member, said friction elements being rotatable with the shaft, means including threaded members for drivably connecting the friction elements and the angularly adjustable member, and-means for moving the friction member in either direction longitudinally of the shaft to engage said friction elements.

18. A device of the class described comprising a rotatable shaft, a plurality of proeller blades, means for drivably connect mg said shaft and blades, means for vary ing the pitch of said blades during operation thereof, and means including members longitudinally movable with respect to said shaft for predetermining the extent of movement ,of said pitch varying means.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification. v

- DANIEL G, LILLEY. 

